A massive power outage struck large parts of Spain, Portugal, and areas of France and Belgium on Monday, April 28, 2025, causing widespread disruption to metro systems, train services, air traffic operations, and city transport.
Electricity failures in major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Lisbon forced evacuations of metro stations, suspended trains, triggered major traffic jams, and rendered traffic lights useless.
Nairametrics gathered this information across several media outlets, including traditional broadcasters and real-time updates shared on social media platforms such as X.
Spain’s national railway operator Renfe announced:
“The entire National Electricity Grid was cut off at 12:30 p.m., causing trains to stop immediately and halting all departures at stations across the country.”
Similarly, Valencia’s metro system suspended operations, with officials confirming: “Metro Valencia services are fully interrupted due to the ongoing power outage,” according to reports cited by local media.
In Madrid, Cadena SER radio station reported that authorities were evacuating passengers from sections of the underground, while also noting: “City centre traffic has collapsed following the failure of traffic lights.”
Portugal’s Public Security Police issued a statement that said: “Traffic lights across the country have been affected. Metro services in Lisbon and Porto are suspended, and train operations are halted.”
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Air traffic across Spain and Portugal was also impacted.
FlightRadar24 posted: “Air traffic in Spain and Portugal is being impacted by widespread electrical outages affecting both countries. We’re not yet seeing widespread cancellations, but we are monitoring the situation as it develops.”
Shops and restaurants in Lisbon faced major setbacks, as card payments were no longer accepted due to internet and banking disruptions. Residents reportedly queued outside ATMs to withdraw cash, according to BBC reports.
Sporting events were not spared either. The Madrid Open tennis tournament was suspended after organizers reported:
“The blackout caused scoreboards and camera systems to lose all power, making it impossible to continue matches.”
As residents and authorities grappled with the widespread chaos, Spanish power grid operator Red Eléctrica said it was working urgently to restore electricity.
In a statement, the company said:
“Plans to restore the electricity supply have been activated in collaboration with companies in the sector following the zero that occurred in the peninsular system. The causes are being analysed and all resources are being dedicated to solving it.”
- Red Eléctrica later confirmed that it had begun gradually restoring voltage in northern and southern Spain, describing the development as “key to progressively meeting the electricity supply.”
- E-Redes, a Spanish electricity monitoring company, added that “this is a wider European problem,” suggesting that the blackout’s origins might involve broader regional interconnections.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government convened an emergency crisis meeting at the offices of Red Eléctrica to coordinate the national response.
